Music has been very influential in the life of DJ Kaoz.
"I have always wanted to move the masses by music." In some way, shape, or form, Kaoz knew what he wanted to do with his life, is entertain.
Safari "DJ Kaoz" Jeffries was born in Charlotte, NC. As a child, Safari's situation was very similar to that of many children. Money was very limited and times were very tough. Ultimately, Safari credits his deceased Grandmother and Cousin with his early introduction to music.
"My Grandma would play all the classic Rock and R&B records. Carl Carlton, Stevie Wonder, Sly and The Family, and so on." This impacted Kaoz so much that he would sneak into his Grandmother's closet and take some of her old vinyl to play on a dilapidated record player his family often used for rent parties.
As Kaoz became older he started to follow in the foot steps of his older Cousin Denilra.
"Dee, he put me on to hip hop. I mean back in its raw essence, its first stages. It was nothing for him to play J.J. Fad, Run DMC, or Cool J. " His cousin's love for the music only fueled his fire even more. Kaoz recalls a time when he would escape in the music, imagining his heart was beating to the rhythm of the percussion and riding the waves of the melody. Music was his sanctuary, and place where he could feel comfortable just being himself.
At that time, the avenues to listen to hip hop were very limited. "I can remember seeing Rockbox and The Message on MTV, but other than that, there was nothing but Classic Rock on channels like VH1 and MTV," states Kaoz. "That is how I got hooked on the neighborhood record stores Central Records and Jamco." Jamco is where everything started, Central Records is where everything came full circle. Every week Kaoz would visit Jamco and beg his Grandmother to buy a cassette single for him. Kaoz was mesmerized by the lyrical wit of rappers and the passion and power that resonated from their words.
As Kaoz grew older, the power of music began to manifest in his life even more. His destiny began to reveal itself not only at home but in school and at work. The summer before ninth grade, Kaoz did an internship at the Mecklenburg County Law Bar. Here, he was introduced to Darren Sauls, a young man with the same enthusiasm and ardor for music. "Darren would often bring in DJ video tapes and we would watch them for hours, while on the job." The two became comrades and their mutual love and respect for music created a lifelong bond.
Going to college was a major element in DJ Kaoz's career. Being selected by student organizations to provide a non- stop party, it was here where Kaoz mastered the art of Djing.
After successfully graduating, Kaoz landed his first radio mixer gig at Radio One Philly. This is where Kaoz continued to learn the rules of the game from legendary DJ’s. His radio career took him all over the eastcoast, serving time at major market stations in the Beasley, CBS Radio and Clear Channel properties as well. Not a stranger to the club or mixtape scene, Kaoz plans to continue his plight to make an impact on the industry one song at a time.
Tour dates and venue updates are coming soon.
Heritage Park, Sandy Springs, GA